Summa Cum Laude: Ralph Jaccodine

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Many musicians come to Boston to pursue their personal and professional dreams. And for a growing number of these, the road runs through Berklee.

While at the world-famous school of music, artists meet other like-minded people with a driving passion to express themselves through song. They also learn how to turn that passion into a career.

Among the leaders of the artist management muster at Berklee is Ralph Jaccodine.

Having started his own career as a performer, Jaccodine knows well the trials and tribulations (as well as the glory and the fun) involved in a musical life. As he understood the difficulties involved in making it as a performing musician, Jaccodine diversified his passions while in high school in Allentown, PA, promoting shows by the likes of Hall and Oates, Kiss, Rush, and Styx as a member of the city’s high school student government. He then went on to promote shows at the University of Notre Dame, including a concert by Bruce Springsteen.

“That experience brought me a complete fascination with the business of music ,” Jaccodine explains. “I was in a small town and suddenly these huge, shiny busses pull in and everybody in town comes out.”

And while the bands would “blow everybody away and then move on to the next town,” something stuck with Jaccodine that shaped his career and his life.

“To be able to meet the artists and see it all, I really caught the bug and found that I really had a lot of passion for the whole circus act,” he smiles.

In 1994, Jaccodine co-created Black Wolf Records with friend and fellow industry expert Mike Dreese, who had created the popular and enduring Newbury Comics record store. Ralph Jaccodine Management (www.ralphjaccodine.com) was born soon after as a company that, Jaccodine says, was “built on integrity and tenacity.” These dual qualities have helped Jaccodine steer his curated family of clients amidst the tidal waves of a tumultuous industry.

“The philosophy is indie and fiercely independent with global reach in mind for our artists,” explains Jaccodine, noting that his company also founded Black Wolf records with award-winning singer/songwriter Ellis Paul. “The goal is…building lasting careers, focusing on working hard and doing things the right way for the right reasons.”

As he was in Boston and working with many nationally-touring artists, Jaccodine was often invited to speak and present at Berklee.

“I was pretty familiar with the folks in the faculty and Berklee’s status in the music world,” Jaccodine explains. “I also really like talking to student(s) because I feel I have a lot to offer them because I have 25 years of hard-earned experience as a manager.”

The more Jaccodine got to know the school and its faculty and students, the more he wanted to be a part of it.

“Years ago, I asked my management client Livingston Taylor why he was so excited to be teaching at Berklee,” Jaccodine recalls. “He said it was because he was among the best, most talented faculty and students in the country. That stuck with me! “

And while he admits that he was initially reticent to share his wisdoms with the students, Jaccodine says the he now relishes the opportunity.

“When I first started to talk to students, I was very nervous because I did not feel I was an authority figure on the business of music,” he recalls. “But now that I have been managing artists for so long, I feel confident that I am the expert on one thing, my career and my years of experience and the lessons I have learned from the trenches of the music industry.”

As he lives what he teaches, Jaccodine has been able to bring a rare, real world perspective to his classes and his students. “Because it is my day job, I have to be up to date and so I can bring that updated information and perspective to the students,” he reasons. “It is a really good feeling to be able to help them!”

At Berklee (where he won the Dean’s Award for Innovation and Service in 2015 ), Jaccodine also wears multiple hats, serving as an Assistant Professor in the department of Music Business/Management, co-managing the Berklee Music Law & Management Club, and also developing a series of professional development seminars with the Boston Managers Group, which he started 20 years ago with ex-Aerosmith manager Tim Collins.

“The club brings speakers in for the students and the community-at-large,” Jaccodine explains, listing such other austere speakers as Don Law of Live Nation, Panos Panay of SonicBids, Derek Sivers of CD Baby, and Berklee President Roger Brown and also mentioning a recent seminar with Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Oates. “I am trying to bring a lot of energy and great talent to Berklee.”

Jaccodine has also been able to gain a great deal from his time at the school as well. Among his Berklee-bred clients are Shun Ng and Rebecca Loebe (see January, 2015 issue), and long-time friend Taylor. “I also mentor many of my students and others at the school,” Jaccodine says.

In his role at Berklee, Jaccodine is able to support and influence many young artists and future managers. When asked who influenced and inspired him, Jaccodine again mentions Collins and Dreese.

“In 1992, I came to Mike ranting and raving about Ellis Paul, and how great this guy’s music was. He quickly brought me down to earth saying those two words that have haunted me ever since- ‘Nobody Cares!’”

While Dreese’s response drove home the hard reality that, for the most part, music is seen as disposable, it also encouraged Jaccodine to work even harder to make people care about the songs and songwriters who mattered to him.

“Mike’s challenge to me back…was ‘How do I make people care about the music I care about?’” Jaccodine explains. “I have made a career out of spreading…the music of other people I care about.”

In fact, Jaccodine takes Dreese’s words so to hear that he continues to see his role not just as manager, but also as proselytizer.

“Personal management has to be a holy crusade or nothing at all,” Jaccodine observes. “You have to have confidence that people will care. Spreading my artist’s music is how I feed my family, but just as important… it is how I feed my soul.”

In an effort to repay his mentors and to help them support each other and other colleagues, Jaccodine has also organized a manager’s roundtable, of which Collins and Dreese are integral parts. In fact, Jaccodine recalls, Collins was there from the beginning.

“I had a few months of calling myself a manager under my belt when I called Tim,” Jaccodine recalls. “Tim was on top of the food chain for managers and I just wanted to meet him, touch his garment and hope that something would rub off on me.”

After what turned out to be an extensive conversation, in which Jaccodine was able to share his knowledge of the MA music scene with the eminent manager, Collins offered to reciprocate.

“I asked him to help me form a ‘bunch of managers’ so we can help each other out,” Jaccodine explains.

Thus was the Boston Manager’s Group born!

“As a manager,” Jaccodine suggests, “I am supposed to know how to guide a career without question, the artist places their trust in my guidance. I need to be an expert.”

While Jaccodine says that the Group helps him and other managers find the answers and garner the support they need to help their clients and to hopefully help strengthen and grow the music scene and the industry at large, he still feels that his main role is as an educator.

Boston Managers Group

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

This business of music is changing almost daily. I am bombarded with new companies, blogs and slick new technology - it is hard to keep up. Often I turn off the clutter and lean on my reliable sources for the information I let come my way, experts I subscribe to on-line or on my phone line daily. I don't need to be THE expert, I just need to know where to find the experts I need.

When I got into this business, I had a few months of calling myself a manager under my belt when I called Tim Collins, the longtime manager of one of the world's biggest bands, Boston's Aerosmith. For a while, they were arguably America's biggest rock band. Tim was on top of the food chain for managers and I just wanted to meet him, touch his garment and hope that something would rub off on me... so I called to set up a meeting, and he said sure, come on in.

Tim was very generous of his time and we had a very nice, cordial meeting in his office overlooking the city. We talked, I gave him my first Ellis Paul CD, dropped off a business card and went on my way, thrilled for the time I had with of of music's best managers.

To my surprise, Tim called me the next day and asked me if I knew anything about a 200 capacity club in western Massachusetts, The Iron Horse. I did, and for the next 15-20 minutes I was able to download everything I knew about the club to Tim. He said "thanks" and we said good bye.

I hung up the phone and was amazed that I was able to help Tim Collins just months into this new career. So I called Tim back and said "Hey Tim, I just helped you" and he said "yeah, thanks" and I said "If I can help you, I"m sure you can help me out."

Needless to say, managing Aerosmith for almost 2 decades at the highest levels of the music business made me confident that Tim knew a couple of tricks about managing artists and while I was on a roll, I told Tim that "we should get all the Boston managers together to help each other out".

Many years later, it sounds a bit naive, and it was, but this conversation was the birth of the Boston Manager's group that is now still going strong after 20+ years and with over 50 managers as members. With the birth of this group, I have my personal panel of experts I can contact to help me out of a situation that needs some extra finesse, and vice-versa.
As a manager, I need to be the leader of the Holy Crusade and I am supposed to know how to guide a career without question, the artist places their trust in my guidance. I need to be an expert at finding experts.

A year ago, Shun played a sold out show hosted by one of his biggest fans, Quincy Jones, at the Eli Broad Stage in LA. "When you see Shun Ng, you won't believe your eyes nor your ears - he belies all stereotypes, all premonitions. I was simply blown away by both his soul and his science - his creativity and his uniqueness is astounding." - Quincy Jones

Highlights of his touring have been several sold out shows in his former country of Singapore, a run of five shows at Biscuit & Blues in San Francisco. After his APAP showcase and Rockwood Music Hall show in NYC, Shun will be playing at The Opera House in Boothbay, ME, The Center for the Arts (TCAN) in Natick, MA, and Tupelo Music Hall in Londonderry, NH this April and for a sold out 2Cellos show at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston, MA in May.

He released a video covering Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" - a tough one for solo guitar - and I believe he nailed it! Within hours, Queen's guitarist, Brian May, started spreading it around to Queen fans all over the world by Twitter: "You gotta see! Amazing new solo and acoustic vocal arrangement of Bo Rap." Check it out below!

Ellis Paul Update

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Touring:
-172 shows in 2014... workshops, showcases, festivals, and adult and family shows in 34 states!!

Music Releases:
-"Chasing Beauty" Release date: September 9, 2014
This second fan-funded album raised over $125,000! "Everyone can relate to Ellis Paul and his songs and for that reason he continues to be a national treasure." - Absolute Punk

Book Releases:
-"The Hero in You" (Published by Albert Whitman & Co.) Release date: September 1, 2014 #1 "Must Read" Teacher recommendation at Scholastic Magazine! A company with books, magazines and more in over 90% of United States schools. Parents Choice Foundation, Gold Award

-"The Night the Lights Went Out on Christmas" Release date: September 15, 2015 A story of neighbors who are so caught up in having the best Christmas lights, forget about the true meaning of Christmas, until their lights cause the entire world to lose power!

Film and Publishing:
-BMG Chrysalis Ellis signed a publishing deal with BMG Chrysalis, one of the largest publishing companies in the world.

-"10 Days in a Madhouse" the story of 23-year-old pioneering reporter, Nellie Bly, who faked her insanity to study a mental institution from within. This film to be released in September 2015 will feature Ellis' song 'Nellie Bly' as the end title credits song. Christopher Lambert will be starring in the film, directed by Timothy Hines.

-"All In Time" will feature a song Ellis wrote for the film, "Saving Grace". It is current on the festival circuit and will be released in early 2016.

-"Me, Myself, and Irene", "Hall Pass", and "Shallow Hall" are other films that include Ellis Paul's music.

Ralph Jaccodine announces a new duo... Magic Dick & Shun Ng

Monday, July 21, 2014

I am thrilled to announce the start of an amazing musical collaboration.

Magic Dick, the legendary harmonica player for Boston's legendary J. Geils Band has recently partnered up with guitar and vocal sensation, Shun Ng, to create one of the most dynamic musical acts to come out of Boston in a long time. The music is soulful blues, rockin' yet thoughtful and performed by arguably two of the top musicians at their respective instruments.

Since 1969, Magic Dick has toured the world playing and blowing away clubs and stadiums with the J. Geils Band. He explains the formation of the duo:

"From the moment I first heard Shun Ng's CD "Funky Thumb Stuff" I knew that a manifest musical collaboration was about to happen. Shun's sound simply made me feel very alive and induced in me a synchronous alignment of musical DNA as if it was his intention as well as mine all along! I helped it along by asking his manager, Ralph Jaccodine to introduce us at his office. A long and enlightening conversation happened on that day of our first meeting and now we are a duo and I couldn't be more delighted."Shun and I have a deep vibe connection, I know how fortunate I am to have found a true fellow minimalist. Shun's creativity is amazing and his musical skills as a guitarist, singer, and composer are mind blowing. And yes, less is indeed more."

Shun Ng was born in Chicago, raised in Singapore now based out of Boston. At 24 years old, he is already an international star, a soulful, world-class guitarist, vocalist, and electric performer who in a short period of time, has caught the attention of the top players in the music world including Quincy Jones who said: "When you see Shun Ng, you won't believe your eyes nor your ears - he belies all stereotypes, all premonitions. I was simply blown away by both his soul and his science - his creativity and his uniqueness is astounding."

"In this collaboration with Magic Dick," Shun says, "we wanted to make music in a way that no one had quite done before while remaining grounded in our roots. Magic Dick brings a powerhouse attack with ferocious precision and a killer groove to this duo. I have great respect for him, he has seemingly done it all, but is still constantly trying to push the boundaries of music and chase the best in himself, a true artist. To be working with a true Boston legend is a real privilege."

The 2014 Maine Music Awards Hall of Fame Show

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Ellis Paul will be inducted into the inaugural Maine Music Awards Hall of Fame with Don McLean, Howie Day and Dave Mallett at Maine’s most prestigious entertainment venue the Cumberland County Civic Center of downtown Portland on Saturday, July 12, 2014. The show will be a major presentation of Maine’s most esteemed artists with numerous celebrities, hosts and presenters. The show is being filmed for a major television special and DVD release for the holiday season. Special guest appearances and music collaborations will elevate the excitement even more. Maine is one of the best places to be in the summer and this show features the best music artists too.

The Maine Music Awards Hall of Fame Show will feature sets by this year’s inductees:
Ellis Paul
Don McLean
Howie Day
Dave Mallet

With added music performances by:
Devonsquare
The Mallett Brothers Band
Carol Noonan

And other special guest hosts and presenters.

Ellis Paul update

Friday, April 25, 2014

CHASING BEAUTY
Ellis' new release, which he will bring with him out on the road this summer, is called "Chasing Beauty".

The producer is Kristian Bush from the Grammy award winning, platinum selling band Sugarland.
The Sugarland band was Ellis' backing band with the Red Molly band and others adding background vocals.

The music was recorded in Atlanta Ga. and will be nationally released in September.

Ellis raised over $100,000 from his fans for the recording. A full promotion and marketing team will commence work in June and not let up.

THE HERO IN YOU
​September 1st we​ are​ re-releas​ing​ "The Hero In You" CD which won the Parent's Choice Gold Metal Award.

This CD is coming out along with a ​beautiful Children's ​book, released by Albert Whitman Company, a prestigious Children's book publisher out of Chicago.

HONORARY DOCTORATE
Also: Ellis will be the commencement speaker at the University of Maine. The degree that will be bestowed upon Ellis is the Doctorate of Humane Letters honoris causa. He is also writing and performing the school's new Alma Mater.

MAINE MUSIC AWARDS
A month later, Ellis will be inducted to the Maine Music Awards Hall of Fame with: Don McLean, Howie Day, Bob Ludwig/Gateway Mastering and Dave Mallett at the Cumberland County Civic Center on July 12th.

Devonsquare and Carol Noonan are special guests performers.

Rebecca Loebe review in Maverick Magazine UK

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

MAVERICK MAGAZINE UK - Circus Heart Review by Arthur Wood

4.5 Stars - Quite simply this is a wall-to-wall folk/pop delight.

The ten-song CIRCUS HEART is 2009 Kerrville New Folk Song Contest winner Rebecca Loebe’s third full album - born in Virginia, has lived in Georgia, Massachusetts and now resides in Texas. The album was recorded at Mark Addison’s Aerie Studio in Austin, and he engineered the sessions, whilst Matt Sever aka. Matt the Electrician occupied the producer’s chair. Amongst a vast array of instruments, Addison played Wurlitzer, electric guitar, bass, bouzouki and added harmony vocals, whilst The Electrician added keyboards, acoustic, electric and tenor guitar, ukulele, trumpet and more, as well as singing harmony. The other session players were Dony Wynn (drums, percussion), Andrew Pressman (upright and electric bass), Raina Rose (lead guitar, harmony vocals) plus harmony vocals from Lex Land and Shae Stuart. The latter pair are out-of-towners, now an entegral part of the vibrant Austin music scene.

I clearly recall first hearing the album opener during a 2010 Kerrville Folk Festival In-The-Round that featured a quartet of New Folk winners and finalists, including Rebecca. During that performance, Raina Rose proved beyond a doubt that girls can play lead guitar. There’s an obvious and wicked twinkle in the eye of the sassy Darlin narrator- sic: ‘The smell of your beard in the morning’ - as she recalls, instantly being transformed from introvert to extrovert - ‘Next thing I knew it was skipping’, out on the pond, skinny dippin’ - whilst the lyrics is neatly wrapped up by the repeated ‘What did you to my (pause) heart.’ Of course, what made me truly smile was the ensuing aside: ‘When can you do it again.’ Sever has gone for a ‘everything including the kitchen sink’ approach on Darlin and it succeeds in spades.

On this set, Rebecca has hook-laden melody nailed down, and replete with a Mariachi interlude that’s clearly evidenced by the ballsy title song. The allegorical Swallowed by the Sea concerning her life in the music business was penned during her participation in the first Stateside season of The Voice. Loebe possesses one hell of a set of pipes and on High & Lonesome, her voice ascends to the stratosphere and then gently settles back to terra firma. The latter is a treatise with a twist - namely, love and less-than-luxurious hotel rooms that are a road warrior’s lot.

At almost six minutes duration, the sublime Georgia - replete with mention of the state’s prevalent ‘magnolia and pine’ - is this album’s longest song, wherein the deceased narrator contemplates reincarnation with: ‘Heaven send me back to Georgia.’ Death is also very much present in The Chicago Kid. The album’s only cover song is Joan Jett’s Bad Reputation: Mercy possesses a confessional feel, while the penultimate, keyboard propelled I Will Wait is a love ode.

Featuring Raina’s lead guitar and harmony vocal, Vagabond Prayer brings the album to a gentle close with the road warrior deliberating on the subject of home. An infectious air of unshackled abandon pervades this folk/pop collection. CIRCUS HEART is a wonderfully wayward tonic and more fun than a bag of monkeys, and that’s a fact.

Susan Cattaneo's latest album, "Little Big Sky" released August 2012

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Cattaneo has a wealth of experience in the entertainment word, excelling in a broadcasting career that has netted her some very high honors. But, all along, she was honing her craft of performing in area clubs. As this disc shows, she’s more than ready to take that next step.

Her vocals are very much at the forefront of this album, with her sounding as confident as a rock star on the energy-filled “Let The Music Deliver Me.” Other high-octane cuts include “Spare Parts” as well as the exhilarating title cut.’

She definitely saves the best for last, though. “Better Day” sparkles the brightest of all the cuts included on this collection. She layers the song with a very earthy vocal approach that makes the poetic lyrics come to life. I would dare say that she is on the right track, for sure!

- Chuck Dauphin, Music News Nashville

Ellis Paul's new album and fundraiser!

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Photo credit: David Butler

Ellis Paul is thrilled to be back in the studio recording a new studio album slated for a Spring release, and Kristian Bush, half of the Grammy-award winning Sugarland duo, has officially signed on to produce the record. The project will be 100% funded by fans via various unique incentives given to fans in exchange for their partnership with the project, including t-shirts, hand drawn art by Ellis, limited edition copies of excerpts from Ellis' road journal, and more. Ellis' fundraising target is 1,000 contributors and we are well on our way with over 430 people graciously extending a hand to get this project out in the streets.

Ralph Jaccodine Management partners with Shun Ng

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Ralph Jaccodine Management (RJM) is proud to announce that Shun Ng (http://www.ShunNg.com) will be joining their management roster. Shun Ng is a very gifted 22 year old singer-songwriter born in Chicago raised in Singapore currently enrolled in the esteemed "Artist Diploma" at Berklee College of Music. He is known for his virtuosic and unique style of guitar that infuses elements of Funk, Fingerstyle, Blues, Jazz & Motown, to create a one-man band like experience. His flamboyant guitar work is equally matched with passionate vocal styling seemingly well beyond his years, yet with a light and energy that can only be described as childlike innocence.

In 2012, he released his debut album, entitled “Funky Thumb Stuff” which explores honest stories of his early teen life as well as the rise of his ever-improving guitar pyrotechnics. "Funky Thumb Stuff" was well received by many acoustic guitar lovers and musicians around the world. Shun is a featured performer at some of the top music festivals including: Japan, Canada, Malaysia and Singapore. In fact, at a recent show in Boston Shun shared the stage with Livingston Taylor who said of him, “Shun Ng is amazing. His talent rests on a rock-solid work ethic and the results are pure WOW!”

To see Shun perform is to truly understand the level of his talent, so I'm including two video links here, one is the official video for his title track, "Funky Thumb Stuff", and the other is from the recent performance I mentioned in Boston, at a Red Star Studios event for Boston Beyond Borders, playing a track entitled, "Slam!"

Peyton Tochterman Featured in the Alternate Route Magazine!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

The Alternate Route is an interactive music magazine featuring all genres of traditional American roots music including, Americana, Alt-country, Blues, Rockabilly, Folk, Bluegrass, Roots Rock and traditional country. We also produce the weekly internationally syndicated American Roots music show “Alternate Root TV” and publish the Top 66 International Airplay Chart.